Natchitoches, La. 2ND DRIEST MARCH ON RECORD: Shreveport National Weather Service

March 2013 HAD MUCH BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION AT NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA, according to the National Weather Service...

660
AXUS74 KSHV 020210
DGTSHV
ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077-TXZ096-
097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-021800-
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
910 PM CDT MON APR 1 2013

...HEAVY RAINFALL OBSERVED DURING THE LAST TWO DAYS OF MARCH HAS
RESULTED IN A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT TO THE INCREASINGLY DRY CONDITIONS
THAT HAD DEVELOPED EARLIER IN THE MONTH ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION...
 
*MARCH 2013... 0.88"
*Departure from Normal: -4.24"
*Percentage of Normal:  17%             
CITY:                                   
NATCHITOCHES LA
NOTE: MARCH 2013 RANKED AS THE 2ND DRIEST MARCH ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1923.

Here's the complete official report for Natchitoches, LA from the National Weather Service:
n
000
AXUS74 KSHV 020210
DGTSHV
ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077-TXZ096-
097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-021800-

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
910 PM CDT MON APR 1 2013

...HEAVY RAINFALL OBSERVED DURING THE LAST TWO DAYS OF MARCH HAS
RESULTED IN A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT TO THE INCREASINGLY DRY CONDITIONS
THAT HAD DEVELOPED EARLIER IN THE MONTH ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION...

SYNOPSIS...

UP UNTIL THE FINAL TWO DAYS OF MARCH...A VERY DRY MONTH HAD SET UP
ACROSS ALL OF THE FOUR STATE REGION...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND
EASTERN SECTIONS OF NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...WHERE ROUGHLY A HALF INCH
OF RAIN WAS RECORDED. THESE VERY DRY CONDITIONS...COUPLED WITH PERIODS OF
WARM AND WINDY DAYS AND SPRING GREENUP OF VEGETATION RESULTED IN A RAPID
DRYING OF TOPSOIL MOISTURE OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...A PROGRESSIVE
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE THAT MOVED ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE MORNING
HOURS OF THE 30TH RESULTED IN A QUARTER TO IN EXCESS OF A HALF INCH OF
RAIN AREAWIDE...WITH A STRONG SQUALL LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON EASTER
MORNING THE 31ST RESULTING IN WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF A HALF INCH
TO IN EXCESS OF AN INCH. THIS RECENT HEAVY RAINFALL WAS ENOUGH TO
SLIGHTLY DAMPEN DROUGHT CONDITIONS WHICH HAD DETERIORATED DURING THE
MONTH. MONTHLY RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF A HALF INCH TO AN INCH WAS OBSERVED
ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST SECTIONS OF NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...EAST OF A
NATCHITOCHES...TO WINNFIELD AND COLUMBIA LINE. MONTHLY TOTALS OF AN INCH
AND A HALF TO IN EXCESS OF THREE INCHES WAS RECORDED ELSEWHERE ACROSS
THE REGION...ALTHOUGH RAINFALL DEFICITS OF ONE TO IN EXCESS OF THREE
INCHES WERE NOTED TO END THE MONTH. GIVEN THE MOSTLY DORMANT VEGETATION
THROUGH MUCH OF THE MONTH...THIS RAINFALL WAS ABLE TO GENERATE SOME
RUNOFF WHICH CONTINUED TO BENEFIT AREA LAKES AND RESERVOIRS...ESPECIALLY
OVER THE MIDDLE RED...SULPHUR...AND CYPRESS BASINS.

THIS RECENT RAINFALL DID SLIGHTLY IMPROVE DROUGHT CONDITIONS AREAWIDE...
ESPECIALLY ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS ALONG THE HIGHWAY 82 CORRIDOR
THROUGH RED RIVER AND BOWIE COUNTIES...WHILE ALSO IMPROVING FUEL
CONDITIONS IN WAKE OF THE PROLONGED PERIOD OF DRYNESS. HOWEVER...
A NARROW CORRIDOR OF SEVERE (D2) DROUGHT CONDITIONS LINGER ACROSS
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS NORTH OF A TEXARKANA...TO NASHVILLE ARKANSAS LINE.
MODERATE (D1) DROUGHT CONDITIONS PERSIST ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...
NORTHEAST TEXAS AND THE REMAINDER OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...NORTH OF A
TYLER...LONGVIEW AND MAUD TEXAS...TO FOUKE AND TAYLOR ARKANSAS LINE.
ABNORMALLY DRY (D0) CONDITIONS REMAIN IN PLACE ELSEWHERE ACROSS EAST
TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA GIVEN THE LARGE DEFICITS IN MONTHLY RAINFALL.


SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...

AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS.
RAINFALL DURING THE LAST FEW DAYS OF MARCH HAS BOOSTED SOIL MOISTURE
AFTER WINDY AND DRY CONDITIONS HAD BEGUN TO DRY OUT THE SOILS. SUBFREEZING
TEMPERATURES ON THE 25TH-27TH MAY HAVE DAMAGED WARM SEASON GRASSES AND
PEACHES AS THEY BEGAN TO EMERGE.

FIRE DANGER IMPACTS.
NO BURN BANS ARE IN EFFECT AT THIS TIME.

CURRENT WATER RESTRICTIONS.
AQUIFER LEVELS REMAIN ABNORMALLY LOW ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION. CITIES IN
NORTHEAST TEXAS THAT REMAIN UNDER A VOLUNTARY OR A MILD RATIONING OF WATER
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE INCLUDE: PITTSBURG...GLADEWATER...WHITE OAK...
MARSHALL...HALLSVILLE...TYLER...NACOGDOCHES...MELROSE...SAN AUGUSTINE...
CENTER...HEMPHILL...BULLARD...GILMER...HAWKINS...AND HUNTINGTON. OTHER
SMALLER WATER SYSTEMS ACROSS EAST TEXAS ALSO REMAIN UNDER VOLUNTARY OR A
MILD RATIONING OF WATER UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.


CLIMATE SUMMARY...

BELOW IS A LIST OF THE 12 MONTH RAINFALL TOTALS SINCE DROUGHT CONDITIONS
REDEVELOPED IN LATE APRIL 2012...THEIR DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...AND THEIR
PERCENTAGES OF NORMAL...FOR SELECTED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION:

CITY:           APRIL `12 - MARCH `13       DEPARTURE       PERCENTAGE
                  (THROUGH 3/31/13)        FROM NORMAL       OF NORMAL

SHREVEPORT LA            52.49                -0.83             98%

SHREVEPORT LA            50.45                -5.01             91%
(SOUTH SHREVEPORT/SOUTHERN HILLS OFFICIAL COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION)

MONROE LA                60.77                +7.02            113%

NATCHITOCHES LA          55.83                +0.67            101%

TEXARKANA AR             31.59               -17.92             64%

EL DORADO AR             43.21                -9.25             82%

HOPE 3NE AR              43.01               -11.09             80%

NASHVILLE AR             40.02               -15.20             72%

DEQUEEN AR               25.50               -23.60             52%

TYLER POUNDS FIELD TX    33.70               -12.18             73%

TYLER (CITY) TX          39.23                -9.47             81%

LONGVIEW TX              40.99                -8.38             83%

LUFKIN TX                38.46                -7.35             84%


SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA MESONET STATIONS...
MT. HERMAN               35.18               -18.90             65%
BROKEN BOW               37.56               -16.52             69%
IDABEL                   35.73               -20.07             64%


BELOW IS A LIST OF THE MARCH CUMULATIVE RAINFALL TOTALS...THEIR
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...AND THEIR PERCENTAGES OF NORMAL...FOR
SELECTED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE REGION:

CITY:                 MARCH 2013          DEPARTURE       PERCENTAGE
                                         FROM NORMAL       OF NORMAL

SHREVEPORT LA           3.58               -0.56             86%

SHREVEPORT LA           2.49               -1.92             56%
(SOUTH SHREVEPORT/SOUTHERN HILLS OFFICIAL COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION)

MONROE LA               1.76               -2.96             37%

NATCHITOCHES LA         0.88               -4.24             17%
NOTE: MARCH 2013 RANKED AS THE 2ND DRIEST MARCH ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE
      1923.

COLUMBIA LA             0.56               -4.55             11%
NOTE: MARCH 2013 RANKED AS THE 2ND DRIEST MARCH ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE
      1941.

TEXARKANA AR            2.60               -1.60             62%

EL DORADO AR            3.06               -1.69             64%

HOPE 3NE AR             2.24               -2.68             46%

NASHVILLE AR            2.21               -2.84             44%

DEQUEEN AR              1.54               -3.10             33%

TYLER POUNDS FIELD TX   2.91               -1.21             71%

TYLER (CITY) TX         2.39               -1.80             57%

LONGVIEW TX             3.33               -1.02             77%

LUFKIN TX               2.54               -1.24             67%


SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA MESONET STATIONS...
MT. HERMAN              4.07               -0.70             85%
BROKEN BOW              3.08               -1.69             65%
IDABEL                  3.07               -1.91             62%


PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...

NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FOR ONE MORE DAY AT LEAST OVER THE
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN HALF OF THE REGION...BEFORE A COLD FRONT SLOWLY
BACKDOORS SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...EXTREME
NORTHEAST TEXAS AND NORTHERN LOUISIANA TUESDAY MORNING. THIS FRONT MAY
BECOME STATIONARY NEAR OR JUST NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR OF
EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA TUESDAY AFTERNOON...BEFORE SEEPING SOUTH
THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. TEMPERATURES
WILL COOL SOME 15-20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL BEHIND THE FRONT...AS SOUTHERLY
WINDS ATOP THE SHALLOW COOL AIR DOME ENHANCE OVERRUNNING CONDITIONS.
A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES AHEAD OF A DIGGING TROUGH OF LOW
PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES WILL ALLOW FOR AREAS OF SHOWERS AND A
FEW THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
AND EAST TEXAS...WHICH WILL SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION
TUESDAY NIGHT. SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED WILL BE MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE AREA
WEDNESDAY AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES INTO NORTHWEST TEXAS. THE SHOWERS AND
EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DIMINISH FROM WEST TO EAST THURSDAY...WITH
CUMULATIVE RAINFALL AMOUNTS RANGING FROM A HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN
INCH ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...UP TO TWO INCHES
FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA. NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW
NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO LINGER THROUGH FRIDAY...BEFORE READINGS
WARM QUICKLY BACK ABOVE NORMAL BY THIS NEXT WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK AS A
SOUTHERLY FLOW RETURNS TO THE AREA.

THE THREE MONTH TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK FOR APRIL-MAY-JUNE...ISSUED BY
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC)...INDICATES HIGHER PROBABILITIES
FOR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. THE THREE MONTH
PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK THROUGH JUNE DOES INDICATE EQUAL CHANCES FOR SEEING
BELOW NORMAL...NORMAL...AND ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL OVER MUCH OF THE REGION.
THE EXCEPTION IS ACROSS DEEP EAST TEXAS...WHERE HIGHER PROBABILITIES FOR
OBSERVING BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL EXIST. AT THIS TIME...NEAR NEUTRAL
CONDITIONS IN THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC OCEAN ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
THROUGH THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS...RESULTING IN VERY LITTLE SKILL IN
FORECASTING CERTAIN PRECIPITATION PATTERNS OVER THE AREA.


HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...

RECENT RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES ACROSS THE MIDDLE RED RIVER
AND SULPHUR RIVER BASINS HAVE RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS TO LAKES
AND RESERVOIRS OVER THESE AREAS...WITH NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL POOL
STAGES NOTED. HOWEVER...DEFICITS STILL PERSIST FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS THE
CYPRESS AND MIDDLE SABINE BASINS...WHERE POOL STAGES AT LAKE FORK...BOB
SANDLIN AND LAKE OF THE PINES REMAIN SOME THREE TO FIVE FEET BELOW NORMAL.
SOME SLIGHT DEFICIENCY HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE LOWER SABINE...NECHES...
AND RED BASINS GIVEN THE BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL OBSERVED DURING MARCH...BUT
SOME IMPROVEMENT IS EXPECTED LATER THIS WEEK AS THE HEAVIER RAINFALL AXIS
IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THESE AREAS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.


NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...

THE NEXT DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY EARLY MAY.

&&

RELATED WEB SITES...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT HOMEPAGE: WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SHV
NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM: WWW.DROUGHT.GOV
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR: WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/MONITOR.HTML
DROUGHT IMPACT REPORTER: WWW.DROUGHTREPORTER.UNL.EDU
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER: WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV
LA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY: WWW.LOSC.LSU.EDU
TX OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY: WWW.MET.TAMU.EDU/OSC
OK CLIMATOLOGICAL SURVEY: HTTP://CLIMATE.OK.GOV
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: HTTP://WATER.USGS.GOV
TEXAS A&M AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS-AGNEWS: HTTP://AGNEWS.TAMU.EDU
LA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY: HTTP://WWW.LDAF.STATE.LA.US/
TEXAS FOREST SERVICE: HTTP://TEXASFORESTSERVICE.TAMU.EDU
ARKANSAS FIRE INFO: HTTP://WWW.ARKFIREINFO.ORG
OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES: HTTP://WWW.FORESTRY.OK.GOV/WILDLAND-FIRE
LSU AG CENTER: HTTP://WWW.LSUAGCENTER.COM


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...

THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR FACILITATES COLLABORATION AMONGST VARIOUS
AGENCIES...INCLUDING THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...STATE
CLIMATOLOGISTS...THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...AND THE U.S. DROUGHT
MITIGATION CENTER. INFORMATION FROM THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN GATHERED
FROM NWS/FAA OBSERVATION SITES...THE USDA...CORPS OF ENGINEERS...USGS...
TEXAS FOREST SERVICE...TEXAS INTERAGENCY COORDINATION CENTER...
ARKANSAS FORESTRY COMMISSION...AND THE OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES.


QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS...

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT INFORMATION
STATEMENT...PLEASE CONTACT:

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE
5655 HOLLYWOOD AVE.
SHREVEPORT LA 71109

PHONE: (318) 631-3669
EMAIL: SR-SHV.WEBMASTER@NOAA.GOV

$$

15/HANSFORD